ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I'm in the final stages of fine-tuning my system (about which I'll do a comprehensive post in the general forum, with pictures, in a few weeks' time) and have decided to swap my CD source from a Beosound 9000 to a Beogram CD 5500, having tested both machines against each other.
I want to link the CD 5500 to my BeoLab 90s via S/PDIF, but I'd also like to be able to have remote control. Is it possible to connect the CD 5500 simultaneously by S/PDIF and to a Beomaster 5500 (which would not be connected to anything else) to get digital sound and remote control?
Finally, does anybody believe that there is a better-sounding playing in the B&O range than the 5500? And would I be better off connecting to the Lab 90s via the optical rather than S/PDIF input? (I'm thinking of connecting the BS9000 optically once the 5500 is up and running, as the multi-CD feature is useful when comparing masterings.)
Can't help on the connections point, but in my opinion the CD 5500 is the best sounding CD player B&O made.
Ben
Thanks — that was definitely my impression too, based on the different models I've owned or heard.
The CD5500 is the best - however they do vary!! The Motor changes from a brushless to a conventional brushed motor in the later model and the TDA1541 type seems to be fairly random! Most will have a TDA1541A and some will have the S1 or S2. The S2 is regarded as a Holy Grail version and there are a few around! To use the CD5500, you need something that will accept IR signals and the CD5500 does not have this. Therefore a BM5500 or similar is needed.The optical output will bypass the DAC and therefore rather negates the point of the CD5500 though the transport is good, being a Philips CDM4/11, used by a number of high end CD player manufacturers. Interesting link here and if you scroll down, you will see the innards of the CD5500!
I actually confess to liking the CDX and the TDA1540 just as much - ridiculously it is a 14 bit chip but it just sounds lovely!!
Peter